Archive for 'Curiosities'

Florence is one of those cities that, somehow, keeps surprising and delighting us all the time with new finds. Whether it is long-forgotten historic gems or new openings, there is always something new to uncover every time you find a luxury villa in Florence, which is why it is a perfect destination for both first time visitors and repeat offenders alike. One new discovery in our office that tickled everyone’s fancy has to be the buchette del vino, which were once-ubiquitous wine windows through which one could, for a long time, pass a few coins and receive a flask of wine in return. Most are now long gone and have been out of use for even longer but there is one that has been recently reopened. If you’re planning on spending time in Florence and want to try out this unique and historic resurrected foodie experience, then head to the neighbourhood of Santo Spirito and see for yourself!

Santo Spirito is where you will find a new restaurant called Babae that opened back in August and, along with its culinary offerings indoors, brought back with it one of Florence’s buchette del vino and the Florentine tradition of buying wine through a window. These date back to the Renaissance, when many noble families of the city, who lived in the grand palazzos that still characterise the centre of Florence, had their own vineyards either just outside the city walls or off in the Tuscan countryside.     Read More

One of the most photogenic and photographed attractions in the Tuscan countryside is probably the distinctive and memorable steaming cascades of the naturally-occurring thermal pools and waterfalls in the town of Saturnia and for good reason. One of the most charming and beautiful spa towns in Italy, it is an excellent destination for those who want to enjoy the culture, cuisine, and natural beauty of Tuscany, all while battling those daily aches and pains, relaxing, unwinding, and recuperating during your vacation. Just browse our vacation rentals in Saturnia and come have a spa getaway in this lovely Tuscan town!

Located in the Maremma area of Tuscany, atop a hill, the town of Saturnia has ancient origins and is noted by a Greek historian from 60BC as being inhabited by pre-classical populations of Greece. The name of the town is also rather old and, according to medieval legend, was so named as it was formed by lightning bolts, thrown by Jupiter during a fight with the mythological deity Saturn. These lightning bolts left scars in the earth that were portals to hell and from which steamy waters gushed out, creating the distinct and magical landscape, filled with incredible thermal pools, for which Saturnia is now so famous, according to these tales.     Read More

If you have found a vacation rental in Montecatini Terme and are on a family holiday in the area, you will probably spend time visiting museums, beautiful churches, pretty towns, elegant villas, the coast, vineyards, the spas for which Montecatini Terme is famous, and more. However, if you have little ones with you, particularly little ones that are being good and indulging you in all the things you want to see and do, then it might be wise to plan some little treats for them along the way. One such treat that can be found locally is Borromeo Park, a play area and entertainment park that kids will go crazy for! Sit back, let them loose, and watch them have the time of their lives in this child-friendly paradise. The colours, the toys, the dinosaurs dotted all over, the menu that appeals perfectly to a child’s palate…Borromeo Park has everything a kid could want in a day out.     Read More

If you have found a vacation rental in Chianti and are exploring this beautiful part of the world, you might also want to look up and see what is in the skies above the lovely landscapes of Tuscany. And where better to do that than the Osservatorio Polifunzionale del Chianti, or Chianti Multifunctional Observatory? Located in Barberino Val d'Elsa, just over 30 minutes from Florence, it is the best place to view the starry skies of Tuscany, the Milky Way, Jupiter, and more, all while enjoying some small bites and a glass of wine. If you feel like spending a romantic evening stargazing in Tuscany, this is the place to do it!

Inaugurated in 2013 in the presence of Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli, this multipurpose institute is divided into four different observatories: the Astrophysical, Environmental, Geosismic and Agrometereological. Created by an initiative undertaken by the Municipalities of Barberino Val d'Elsa and Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, which are part of the Municipal Union of Florentine Chianti - Metropolitan City of Florence, and managed by the University of Florence, the observatory also has lots of research and academic partners including the Museum of Natural History of the University of Florence, the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, the Institute of Biometereology IBIMET - CNR and Laboratory for Meteorology and Environmental Modeling LAMMA, the National Institute of Astrophysics, and the Departments of Physics and Astronomy, Agriculture and Earth Sciences of the University of Florence.     Read More